Improvement in harvesting-machines



UNITED STATES- PATE'NT OFFICE.

It. W. MCCLEL'LAND, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTlNGfMACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 43,697, dated August 2, 1864.

To aU whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, R. W. MCCLELLAND, of Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Cutting Apparatus of Harvesting-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in

' whioh- VFigure 1 represents a top plan of a cutterbar and cutters. Fig.'2 represents an edge view of the same. FigfSv represents a view of the under side, and to the right of said Fig. 3 is representeda section through the cutterbar, and showing the shoulder thereon in full.l Fig. 4 represents an edge View of the cutterbar alone. Fig. 5 represents a top view and section of one of the cutter-blades detached; 'and Fig. 6 represents a side and end view of the block to which the pitman is to be at tached, and which holds the sickles or blades,A

to the bar endwise. l

Similar letters of reference, where theyoccur in the several figures, denote like parts in all the drawings.

I am aware that ,a dovetailed groove has been cut in a sickle-bar, and that a dovetailed section has been riveted onto the blades to slide and fit in the dovetailed groove of the- 'sickle-bar. This construction is too expensive in the first place.. Besides, it weakens the sickle-bar too much if of the ordinary size and weight; and if made-large enough to compensate for the cutting away of the groove, then they are too heavy to run freely.

" I am also aware that round eyes or ferm-les have been formed on the blades, which are to slip over a round sicklev bar or rod. This construction is also expensive; but a greater objection is that the blades cannot be firmly secured against turning on the round rod, and their points and vedges catch upon the guards and break.` Y l I do not .claim either of these constructions. My constructi-onis much more simple, cheap,

and efficient; and the nature of my invention consists in making the sickle-bar itself of a dovetail form, and forming a dovetail groove in or on the blades ork sickles by crimping, folding, or otherwise, sc that they will slip onto the bar from one of its ends and be rmly held when on against'any lateral or transverse motion, and without weakening the metal by tailed fianges c c formed upon them, either-by folding, crimping, or upsetting the plate or sheet steel, out of which they are ordinarly made, which flanges form a groove, as it were, that snuglyv fits t-he wedge or dovetailed form of the sickle-bar a. The rear portions of the blades may entirely cover' the top surface of the sickle-bar, while on the under portion they may (the ila-nges or projections c) be dressed 1 ci? ush with the sickle-bar, thus leaving no `openings or joints into which any clogging matter can work or enter. The headblock B is removable, for the purpose of removing and replacing the sickles or blades when they 11equire sharpening or repairs. This block B mayhave adovetailed groove, d, Fig. 6, formed in' it, which will slide over the sickle-bar a.,

and by .means of a screw at e will firmly hold itself, as well as the blades, to said sickle-bar.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the construction' of a cutting apparatus for harvesting-machines, is- -The making of the sickle-bar in a dovetaill or wedge forni, and forming a corresponding female dovetail on or out of the metal of which the blades are made, so as to slide over and snugl)r iit upon said sickle-bar, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

R. W. MCCLELLAND. Witnesses:

f L. B.A ADAMS,

THOMAS LAssWELL. 

